Silver nanoparticles doped poly(3, 4-ethylene dioxythiophene) on titania nanotubes for orthopaedic application

This research is focused on analysing the behaviour of electropolymerized PEDOT doped with AgNPs on TNTA surface (AgNPs-PEDOT/TNTA) to improve corrosion resistance, antibacterial activity and biocompatibility that suits the orthopaedic field of research. Electrochemical anodization was performed to develop a uniformly ordered TNTA in a fluoride-based electrolyte. AgNPs-PEDOT was evenly incorporated on anodized TNTA surface using electropolymerization process. The morphological images of anodized TNTA and AgNPs-PEDOT/TNTA were captured using HR-SEM analysis. XRD, XPS and ATR-FTIR spectroscopic analyses were performed to determine the crystallinity, chemical entities and functional groups of AgNPs-PEDOT/TNTA. The corrosion prevention of AgNPs-PEDOT/TNTA was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electrochemical microscopy (SCEM) and potentiodynamic polarization studies. In vitro immersion studies of AgNPs-PEDOT/TNTA were systematically carried out for 7, 14 and 21 days in Hanks’ solution. The viability and proliferation of MG63 cells with and without silver nanoparticles doped PEDOT were assessed using the MTT assay. The involvement of silver nanoparticles in the antibacterial performance of PEDOT electropolymerized TNTA was examined using gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The presence of AgNPs in PEDOT plays a favourable role in long term implantation with excellent antibacterial and biochemical activity.